Samson/Israel Comparison |
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|---|---|---|
| Samson | Israel | |
| Divine Calling | Judges 13:1-7 | Exodus 19:6; Deut. 4:20; Hosea 11:1 |
| Military Success through Divine Help | Judges 14:1; Judges 16:1 | Exodus 15, Joshua 6; Joshua 6:20; 8:26; etc. |
| Disobedient to Calling through Adultery/Idolatry | Judges 14:1; Judges 16:1 | Judges 2:11, 17: 1 Kings 9:9; Daniel 9:15 |
| Failure due to Divine Judgment | Judges 16:20 | Judges 4:1, 17: 1 Kings 9:9; Daniel 9:15 |
| Water from Rock | Judges 15:18-19 | Exodus 17:5-7; Numbers 20:11 |
| God's purposes will be accomplished despite our faithlessness | Judges 16:28-31 | Jeremiah 30:18-22; Zechariah 8:34 |
Divine Calling
Both Israel and Samson were called to fulfill a particular role. Samson was called to be a a "Nazirite" from birth and was destined to "begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines." (Judges 13:6)Israel, based on covenant promises to its forbears, was called to be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6).
Military Successes through Divine Help
The "Spirit of the Lord rushed upon Samson" 3 times before battle (Judges 14:5, 19; 15:14). Samson called upon the Lord for help (Judges 15:18; 16:29). God uses Samson's sinful desires to further God's own purposes (14:4)God delivered Israel from Egypt and defeated Pharoah's army at the Red Sea (Exodus 15). Israel through God's help defeated the Amalekites (Exodus 17:12-14), conquered Jericho (Joshua 6), conquered AI (Joshua 8), and won the battle of the 5 kings at Gibeon (Joshua 10), etc.
Disobedient to Calling through Adultery/Idolatry
The book of Judges ties the concept of idolatry with infidelity in Judges 2:17, "Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them."Samson committed many sins and was never fully devoted to any person but himself. His main obsession was Philistine woman, which was a sin (Judges 14:3). He desired to marry a daughter of the Philistines (Judges 14:1), he "went into a prostitute" (16:1), and lived in sin with Delilah who was a Philistine. (Judges 16).
Israel committed idolatry by serving Baal and other gods is mentioned over and over again (2:11, 17, 3:7, 8:33, etc).
Water from the Rock
Samson after a battle where he killed a 1,000 men with a jawbone of a donkey, called upon the Lord to allow him to quench his thirst. "And God split open the hollow place." (Judges 15:19).Twice, Israel quarreled with Moses about being thirsty and God had Moses strike the rock and water came out. (Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:11).
God's purposes will be accomplished despite our faithlessness
God humbled Samson through the Philistines. Because of Samson's hubris, the Philistines were able to capture him, gouge out his eyes, imprison and humiliate him. God allowed Samson to fulfill his office as a judge of Israel (Judges 15:20, 16:31) to get revenge in Samson's death and "So the dead whom he had killed at his death was more than those whom he had killed during his life." (Judges 16:30).God promises throughout scripture that he will gather Israel and Judah to be His kingdom of priests. In Zechariah 8:22, that "Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord." The "Lord says" in Jeremiah 30:18-22 that he will restore Israel and make them prosper. He ends the prophesy with the promise, "And you shall be my people and I will be your God" (Jer. 30:22)
Observations
- The story of Samson is written for our benefit (Hebrews 11:32-34). The author/Author of Judges wanted Israel to take heed of Samson's life of folly. The people of Israel were guilty of many of the same sins of Samson. The narratives were selected from the life of Samson, I think, to emphasize these parallels. Our Christian life has many parallels with Samson as well. We need to take heed of Samson's experiences.
- Take comfort that good and bad leaders are under God's control. (Proverbs 21:1). Every decision Samson made was for his own self interest. However, God's purpose for Samson that "he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines" (13:5) was fulfilled. God accomplished His purpose through and in spite of Samson's selfishness. (Judges 16:30)
- Joy comes through sincere obedience to God's commands. Samson lived for himself and lived a very tragic life. He was betrayed several times. He lost his fiancee (Judges 15:1-2). He died as a prisoner with his eyes gouged out. Samson may have suffered just as much if he pursued God wholeheartedly, but he would have seen his suffering was bringing him closer to God (Romans 5:3; James 1:2);
- Do not murmur about our leaders: both spiritual and governmental (1 Cor. 10:6-11). We need to keep some truths in mind. First, how God works through our choices and circumstances is a mystery. Second, God's purposes will prevail no matter what decisions we make. Third, God raises up certain leaders and brings down others (Ps. 75:6; Dan. 2:21). How and why God does this is not revealed to us. Fourth, we are to honor our government leaders (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-15; 1 Peter 2:17). Therefore, when we grumble and murmur about leaders, we grumble and murmur against God.
